Thinking Skins Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 memories. Aah the memories. Bad Snap Hit Home For Turk http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/football/giants/ny-turk073078068jan07,0,3428654.story?coll=ny-giants-print By Ken Berger STAFF WRITER January 7, 2003 Jets punter Matt Turk watched in horror when Trey Junkin's snap skidded to the left of holder Matt Allen, costing the Giants a potentially game-winning field goal and a chance to advance in the NFC playoffs. It brought back painful memories for Turk, whose brother, Dan, ended his career with the same kind of snap - only months before being diagnosed with the cancer that would take his life. "My brother snapped 15 years in the league, was one of the best deep snappers to snap in the league, and he ended his career on that same type of snap," Turk said yesterday. "And it just hit home with me when I was watching the game. I was like, 'Not again.' It shouldn't happen." Starting with the 2000 season, Turk said, the NFL began requiring kickers and punters to use different footballs than those used in the rest of the game. Referred to as "K balls," for kickers' balls, the footballs are packed and shipped to the stadiums and kept in the control of the referees. Before the rule change, the home team used to prepare the balls, which were the same for the quarterbacks and kickers. The change was made to prevent kickers from doctoring balls to their advantage. "They got tired of Mitch Berger kicking balls into the end zone and Gary Anderson, a 50-year-old guy, hitting 50-yarders into the top of the net," Turk said. For starters, Turk said, the kickers' balls are harder than regulation balls. When they're fresh out of the box, they're also slathered in wax, which makes them feel sort of like giant watermelon seeds to a snapper and holder. Turk said he's had to adjust his punting technique to deal with the slick footballs, and pointed out that he hasn't made the Pro Bowl since 1999, before the rules were changed. "Every ball's a little different," said Turk, who has written to the commissioner's office and players' association asking that the same balls be used for all phases of the game. " ... It's the only professional sport that uses separate equipment for separate players. The league has been really good with rules to protect players, making the game fair. But this is one rule that they've dropped the ball on. It needs to change." For a lot of reasons, Turk felt a special empathy for Junkin. "Here's a 19-year veteran, one of the best deep snappers to play in the league, and that's how he has to end his career," Turk said. "And that's all he'll remember, because he's that kind of guy. "I felt sick for the snapper," Turk said of Junkin, who has blamed himself, not the rules. "He probably didn't want to make an excuse. But I watched the replay. I saw the ball slip out of his hands." Turk and his brother, Dan, played together from 1997-99 in Washington. Before the rules were changed, Dan's poor snap cost the Redskins a chance at a game-winning field goal in the 1999 NFC divisional playoffs against Tampa Bay. It turned out to be the last play of Dan Turk's 15-year NFL career. Several months later, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He died on Dec. 23, 2000, at age 38. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 as much as it was a shame that Dan died. He also blew that snap at the end of Regulation in week 1 that season against Dallas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thito_da_skins_fan Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 i remember that Tampa game like it was yesterday i also remember screaming my lungs out at the TV when they showed the Turk's smiling and joking on camera after the play i also remember how sh!tty i felt when i heard Dan died bad, bad memories... i don't feel one ounce of sorrow for the Giants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Skins Fan Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by blakman211 It brought back painful memories for Turk, whose brother, Dan, ended his career with the same kind of snap - only months before being diagnosed with the cancer that would take his life. Am I the only one who thinks that snap killed him? Cancer is poorly understood. But there are indications that one's mental state can encourage or discourage cancerous growth. It's possible that Turk's emotional state -- which could not be cured or fixed, since the snap was done and the season lost -- put such stress on his body that it encouraged the cancer that killed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by Atlanta Skins Fan Am I the only one who thinks that snap killed him? Cancer is poorly understood. But there are indications that one's mental state can encourage or discourage cancerous growth. It's possible that Turk's emotional state -- which could not be cured or fixed, since the snap was done and the season lost -- put such stress on his body that it encouraged the cancer that killed him. I'd guess you are the only one. Apparently Turk had been playing for months with this cancer, unbeknownst to him. The doctors told him he shouldn't have been on the field at all for most of that season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 I don't think that snap killed him. The same could be said for bad Karma. The only reason we had him that long was because his was Matt's agent and keeping Dan was part of an under the table deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Skins Fan Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by Henry Apparently Turk had been playing for months with this cancer, unbeknownst to him. The doctors told him he shouldn't have been on the field at all for most of that season. I didn't know that. Thanks for clearing that up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 While I feel bad that Turk died, I still hate him and his brother with the white hot intensity of a billion suns. I have no sympathy for long snappers. You have 1 job, that's it, that's all you are responsible for. To blow it in the most crucial game of the year is inexcusable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 note to everybody.....don't let Kilmer around your Kids when they get a boo boo. He's not going to offer any sympathy. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kleese Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 One thing we forget. That was going to be a LONG FG for Conway. Let's see, Redskins kicker, HUGE situation, what were the chances? Uh, I'd say slim to none. The bad snap just made Turk the goat instead of Conway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 However, I'd love to blame the kicker for shanking. Then we could of gone into the 2000 with a brand new rookie kicker or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by Kilmer17 While I feel bad that Turk died, I still hate him and his brother with the white hot intensity of a billion suns. I have no sympathy for long snappers. You have 1 job, that's it, that's all you are responsible for. To blow it in the most crucial game of the year is inexcusable. I dunno Kilmer. Considering that a normal person would have been well into Chemo-therapy and bed-rest, I'm willing to forgive the man for having an off-day on the football field while suffering from terminal cancer. Bad memories all around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by Atlanta Skins Fan Am I the only one who thinks that snap killed him? Cancer is poorly understood. But there are indications that one's mental state can encourage or discourage cancerous growth. It's possible that Turk's emotional state -- which could not be cured or fixed, since the snap was done and the season lost -- put such stress on his body that it encouraged the cancer that killed him. uh No. If negative emotional state had as great as impact as you think, there wouldnt be too many people still alive in places like Cincinnati. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by blakman211 For starters, Turk said, the kickers' balls are harder than regulation balls. When they're fresh out of the box, they're also slathered in wax, which makes them feel sort of like giant watermelon seeds to a snapper and holder. Turk said he's had to adjust his punting technique to deal with the slick footballs, and pointed out that he hasn't made the Pro Bowl since 1999, before the rules were changed. And before he changed the way he held and dropped the ball to punt it. And before he lied to the team about an broken finger he got playing pickup basketball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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